[Woodcarver] Carving from one piece of wood

[Sylda]

Ivan, I, personally,appreciate what you called "Windy".  Those of us who
don't understand things need explanations that fully explain so we can
understand without a doubt.  Your explanations make us see it clearly.
Thank you,  Sylda
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Ivan Whillock" <carve at whillock.com>
>> To: "[Woodcarver]" <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>
>> Sent: Monday, April 04, 2005 10:20 AM
>> Subject: [Woodcarver] Carving from one piece of wood
>> 
>> 
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>>>>> When someone says that they carved their caricature scene from one
>> piece
>>> of basswood.  Does that mean that the design was drawn on the basswood
>>> and
>>> everything was carved from the one block or are pieces cut off the one
>>> block, carved and then reassembled?  Does my question make sense or am I
>>> just confused?<<
>>> 
>>> Many sculptors in wood--caricaturists, abstractionists,
>>> representationalists--choose to carve their works from a single block of
>>> wood.  It gives them a particular challenge--creating a design that
>>> challenges the material but still respects it.  A block of wood is a
>>> solid
>>> mass.  One would be prone to carve solid objects from it.  You will
>>> notice
>>> that in Marv Kaisersatt's work, however,  he challenges that property of
>>> wood and creates an airiness--interesting and varied openings between the
>>> figures.  But also in respecting the material, you will notice that he is
>>> also aware of the fragility of cross grain and therefore ties most of the
>>> fragile elements to a stronger element.  This working a material against
>> its
>>> original from is a challenge many sculptors enjoy.  Marv also works in
>> many
>>> different levels and tiers, again to create drama and visual interest--to
>>> move the carving out of its original "block" shape.  To take individual
>>> pieces of wood, carve and assemble them into a scene--for some--takes
>>> part
>>> of  the fun and challenge out of it, but it also presents a different
>> visual
>>> effect. (All that is not to imply that there aren't  many  fine
>> "assembled"
>>> carvings as well,)
>>> 
>>> For realistic carvers, a challenge is to "take the figure out of the
>> block."
>>> Here is what that means:  A block of wood has four sides.  There is a
>>> tendency to carve the figure so that the planes of the body are pretty
>> much
>>> parallel to those four sides.  (This is somewhat aided by the fact that a
>>> bandsaw creates a cutout with all of the sides parallel--because, of
>> course,
>>> the blade is a 90 degree angle to the table top.)  A figure that is "out
>> of
>>> the block" does not have the planes of the body parallel to the original
>>> block of wood.  The head is turned, the shoulders are twisted, the hips
>> out
>>> of parallel with the shoulders, etc.  This creates movement in the figure
>>> and avoids the tendency for blockiness .  (In many of my figure carvings,
>> I
>>> try to have NONE of the planes of the figure parallel to the original
>> block
>>> of wood.  It's a little fettish on my part, based on my sculpture
>> training,
>>> but one of the challenges I present to myself, and I think my "out of the
>>> block" carvings are just more interesting to look at than my "still in
>>> the
>>> block" carvings.)
>>> 
>>> There are aesthetic advantages to a carving from a single block.  The
>>> transition from one element to the other is smooth because the forms are
>>> integrated.  The grain, too, can add to the effect.  From a single block
>> the
>>> grain is continuous, particularly valuable in unpainted works.
>>> 
>>> A little wndy, but I hope this addresses artistic issues related to
>> carving
>>> from a single block of wood.
>>> 
>>> Ivan Whillock
>>> 
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